McKINLEY, Squire S. 1840-1905

MCKINLEY, LUDLAM

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 10/2/2010 at 12:15:39

#1:

SQUIRE S. McKINLEY

Birth: Feb. 9, 1840
Geneva, Kane County, Illinois

Death: Feb. 19, 1905
Park Rapids, Hubbard County, Minnesota

Squire S. McKinley was born at Geneva, Kane County, Illinois, February 9th, 1840. His school days were nearly all passed there, but in 1854 his parents removed to Newberry [sic], Mitchell County, Iowa, and later to St. Ansgar. Later he took a course at the Academy and finally studied law under Daniel W. Lawrence.

Squire had just reached his majority before President Lincoln was inaugurated on the 5th of March, 1861, he offered his services to his country. A company was organized and drilled under John P. Knight as captain. In June, 1861, Squire, with twenty-nine others, were mustered into the service of the United States at Keokuk, Iowa. His regiment, the Third Iowa Regiment of Volunteers, lost nearly half its number in the first battle.

He later returned home and later raised a company and was commissioned captain, but this organization was never mustered in.

During the fall of 1865, Squire was elected sheriff of Mitchell County and was the first officer to land a bank robber in Fort Madison.

In the spring of 1880, he, in company with a Mr. Britz, filed on the Rice water-power of Park Rapids and the following spring sold it to the present owner.

June, 1881, found him building a dam across Straight River at Osage, which furnished power for his sawmill.

Squire McKinley was strictly temperate, clear-headed, and an orator of no mean ability. His loyalty was unquestioned. He voted for every Republican President---Lincoln to Roosevelt.

Lying on his death bed, he closed the interview with the words, "The Shell Prairies are an ideal place for any man to live. The most beautiful country I ever saw." He died February 19th, 1905.

Chapter XXXVI.
History of Osage Township.
BY J. F. SIEGFORD.
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#2:

Enlisted in Company I, Iowa 3rd Infantry Regiment on 10 Jun 1861.
Promoted to Full Corporal on 01 Sep 1862.
Promoted to Full Sergeant on 15 Jan 1864.
Mustered out on 18 Jun 1864 at Davenport, Iowa.

Birth Date: abt 1840
Death Date: 19 Feb 1905
Sources: Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers in the War of Rebellion
Roll of the Dead 1886-1906 Dept of Minnesota GAR

Served as County Comissioner
Jan. 7th, 1889, to Jan. 3rd, 1893 from Osage.

NOTES:
1. Newberry should be Newburg.
2. References to Osage are typically a reference to Osage, Becker county, Minnesota

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#3:

At the age of 65 years and a few weeks, Squire S. McKinley died on Sunday last, from cancer.

Mr. McKinley was born in Kane county, Illinois, and there her grew to young manhood. At the age of sixteen years he moved to Newberg, Iowa, where he lived until Lincoln's call for volunteers was made. Then he joined Co. I of the Third Iowa Volunteers, being the forst man in his county to enlist, and for more than three years followed the flag under Grant and Sherman. At the close of the war he returned to Newburg, where her later married Mrs. Hattie McCullough. For a time he engaged in the milling and merchandise business and also served as county sheriff.

It was in 1880 that Mr. McKinley came to northern Minnesota, homesteading the northwest quarter of section 25, Todd township, now a part of the townsite of Park Rapids. After disposing of his homestead he purchased 160 acres of land in Becker county, upon which the townsite of Osage is located and lived there until five years ago, when he retired from business and came to Park Rapids to live.

Mr. McKinley was a positive character, yet kindly. His home was a hospitable one where friends were pleased to to gather and always welcome. He took an active part in the promotion of any enterprise that tended toward the development an up-building of his community and was honored and respected by all who knew him.

Squire S. McKinley was a charter member of Shell Lodge No. 184, A. F. & A. M., and was also a member of Park Rapids Post 147 Department of Minnesota, and his funeral was held under the joint direction of these two orders. The funeral sermon was preached by Rev E. A. Cooke.

Two sons and two daughters; George and Mrs. I. S. and Mrs. R. L. Ludlam and Miss Nellie McKinley, and their mother, live to mourn the loss of a kind father and a worthy husband. All have been at the home during the late sickness and shared in the sad duties of the days as they passed. To them the sympathy of friends is extended.

[ Park Rapids Enterprise February 1905 ]
(Credit: Joan Edmonson)

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